Human rights body probes garda behaviour

THE Human Rights Commission is to examine a dossier from the Irish Council for Civil Liberties concerning the behaviour of gardaí at the recent May Day clashes with protesters at Phoenix Park.

The State's official human rights watchdog will today receive the ICCL's document, which details a series of allegations against gardaí.

The Human Rights Commission has already decided to assign a senior case worker to examine a file on specific instances of possible alleged abuse by gardaí.

In addition, the HRC's Committee for the Administration of Justice will examine and discuss broader policing issues and concerns raised by the ICCL.

The HRC has considerable powers and can carry out a formal investigation of its own and can make recommendations to the Government if it sees fit.

The body also has the power to provide legal assistance to someone taking a court case taken against the State.

The case-work section, which is supported by solicitors, would have the main function in recommending any such action.

The ICCL is claiming the gardaí may have breached human rights law in their handling of the protest at Phoenix Park, which involved confrontations between a small minority of protesters and gardaí, including the riot squad.

The ICCL has cited possible contraventions of eight articles of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), which was incorporated into Irish law this year.

"From the information available to us we are concerned that they may have been breaches of articles under the European Convention of Human Rights Act," said ICCL director Aisling Reidy.

The complaints include:

Failure to conduct a review of the use of force and failure adequately to display garda identification numbers contrary to Article 3 (prohibition on inhuman and degrading treatment).

Cumulative reports of widespread use of stop and search powers contrary to Article 5 (right to liberty).

Targeting of non-nationals using disproportionate use of powers - contrary to Article 5 and 14 (discrimination).

Restrictions on demonstrations contrary to Articles 10 and 11 (freedom of expression and assembly).

Ms Reidy said they had sent a copy of their file to the Garda Commissioner to solicit a response.

She said Commissioner Noel Conroy responded with an acknowledgement that he received her file, but there was no further comment.

The case worker and the Committee for the Administration for Justice are expected to begin their examinations next week.

The discussions will parallel criminal prosecutions of more than 20 protesters for alleged public order offences.